What's special:

The downside:

Review

Our review:

Located above the famed Town Hall in Manhattan’s theater district, Repertory Company High School for Theatre Arts is a small school that seeks to inspire its students through the theater.

Unlike some schools that pay only glancing notice to their themes, the concentration on theater at Repertory runs deep. Students take an array of courses focusing on what happens on stage and behind the scenes. The school offers classes in writing, production and movement, as well as four years of music and four years of dance (which takes the place of physical education). The school has a space for theatrical productions and a dance studio--but no gym.

Repertory stages about nine productions throughout the year, including a school-wide drama and school-wide musical. For their exit project, all students create a theater piece that is then performed. The school has partnerships with arts organizations, such as Roundabout Theater Co., Manhattan School of Music, the New York City Opera and City Center. Students have competed in the August Wilson monologue contest, with some going on to the national finals.

Arts are the "carrot" to engage students in their academic subjects, school officials say. The school has good attendance and a high graduation rate, but has not had a top academic reputation in the past. Manuel Ureña, who became principal in 2013, says he has focused on changing that. “We try to offer the best performing-arts program in New York City, but we're all about college readiness," Ureña says.

Repertory now has an honors program and gives some Advanced Placement classes. It requires that students do a research project every year. While academic selections are limited, it does offer chemistry and AP calculus, he said.

Because of Repertory's small size, teachers say they know every student and also develop connections with many of their families.In a video on the school’s website, students spoke of the strong ties they had made at the school. To strengthen those connections, all students are assigned to a so-called Critical Friends Group that they stay with for their four years in the school.

Ureña and an assistant principal both spoke of the enthusiasm of the students who stay at the school until 5 p.m. and beyond. We saw that enthusiasm in a dance teacher who took up teaching at Repertory after a career in musical theater, and, at a school fair, spoke animatedly about Repertory, its students and passion for the stage.

Because of its small size, Repertory does not have a dedicated college counselor. Many graduates go onto four-year college, including arts programs, staff members said.

Special education: Repertory has relatively few students with disabilities but says it will make accommodations to meet the needs of any who do enroll.

Admissions: Applicants must audition in the three performance fields: acting, music and dance. The school also considers test scores and a child's middle school record. "We're looking for potential and the desire of the child to pursue a rigorous program," Ureña says. (Gail Robinson, September 2013, from interviews and online material)

InsideStats

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At a glance

Shared campus?
No

This school is in its own building

Number of Students236

Average Daily Attendance94%

Uniforms?
No

Metal detectors?
No

Students at this school

Asian

1%

Black

43%

Hispanic

45%

White

9%

Free Lunch

76%

Special ed

9%

English Language Learners

2%

INCOMING STUDENTS' PROFICIENCY:
2.65 2.40CITYWIDE AVERAGE

1 = Far below grade level

2 = Below grade level

3 = At grade level

4 = Above grade level

Citywide Average KeyThis school is Green better Blue Near Red Worse Than The Citywide Average

Safety & vibe

ARE CLASSES BIG?

Number of students in an average english class

2125 CITYWIDE AVERAGE

DO STUDENTS LIKE THE TEACHERS?

How many students say their teachers inspire them to learn?

40%
63%CITYWIDE AVERAGE

DO TEACHERS LIKE THE PRINCIPAL?

How many teachers say the principal is an effective manager?

100%78%CITYWIDE AVERAGE

IS THIS SCHOOL SAFE?

How many students say they feel safe in hallways, bathrooms and locker rooms?

84%82%CITYWIDE AVERAGE

How many teachers say order and discipline are maintained in the school?

92%77%CITYWIDE AVERAGE

HOW ISATTENDANCE?

How Many Students are Chronically Absent?

17%38%CITYWIDE AVERAGE

Citywide Average KeyThis school is Green better Blue Near Red Worse Than The Citywide Average

Who graduates

Class of 2014

How many students graduated within 4 years?

98%73%CITYWIDE AVERAGE

How many students graduated within 6 years?

98%80%CITYWIDE AVERAGE

Previous Years

How many students graduated within 4 years?

96%65%CITYWIDE AVERAGE

How many graduates earned an advanced regents diploma within 4 years?

2%11%CITYWIDE AVERAGE

How many students graduated within 6 years?

87%75%CITYWIDE AVERAGE

How many graduates dropped out within 4 years?

0%10%CITYWIDE AVERAGE

Citywide Average KeyThis school is Green better Blue Near Red Worse Than The Citywide Average

College prep

Does this school offer a college preparatory curriculum?

How many students took an AP or IB class and scored at least a "3" on the AP exam or a "4" on the IB exam?

6%

How Many Students took a College Course and Got a "C" or Higher?

18%

How many students passed a Regents exam for algebra 2, physics or chemistry?

6%

Are students ready for college?

How many students graduated in four years with test scores high enough to enroll at CUNY without remedial help?

29%27%CITYWIDE AVERAGE

SAT reading scores

440

418

CITYWIDE AVERAGE

497

NATIONWIDE AVERAGE

How many students graduated in four years and enrolled in college?

76%63%CITYWIDE AVERAGE

SAT math scores

437

426

CITYWIDE AVERAGE

513

NATIONWIDE AVERAGE

Is the guidance counseling helpful?

How many students say that this school provides helpful counseling on college or job-seeking?

75%76%CITYWIDE AVERAGE

Citywide Average KeyThis school is Green better Blue Near Red Worse Than The Citywide AverageNote: NA means not available or not applicable. Graduation rates not available for new schools.

Special ed & ELL

How well does this school serve students with disabilities?

How many special ed students graduated within 4 years?

NA47%CITYWIDE AVERAGE

How many special ed students graduated within 6 years?

NA54%CITYWIDE AVERAGE

This school offers team teaching but does not offer self-contained classes.

How many students with disabilities spend most of the day with non-disabled peers?

91%68%CITYWIDE AVERAGE

How many teachers say students with disabilities are included in all activities?

92%89%CITYWIDE AVERAGE

How well does this school serve English language learners?

How many English language learners graduated within 4 years?

NA

37%CITYWIDE AVERAGE

How many English language learners graduated within 6 years?

NA

56%CITYWIDE AVERAGE

Citywide Average KeyThis school is Green better Blue Near Red Worse Than The Citywide AverageNote: NA means not available or not applicable. Graduation rates not available for new schools.

Programs and Admissions

School admission priorities:

Open to New York City residents

Source: High school directory

Theatre Arts

Audition

Study of theatre arts with courses in acting, stagecraft, music and dance.